Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
The wonderful and inspiring history behind the relationship between the Choctaw Nation and Ireland:
Bond remains strong between Choctaw and Irish
Kindred Spirits monument by Alex Pentek
The Choctaw Nation and the people of Ireland have a long and storied history. Although separated by thousands of miles, these two nations are forever entwined because of a small act of kindness nearly two centuries ago.
In March of 1847, a group of Choctaw people met to raise money for the starving poor in Ireland. The Choctaw people had received word about the dire situation of the Great Potato Famine and simply could not stand by and not help. The Choctaws pooled together $170 which was sent first to the Memphis Irish Relief Committee, then to the General Irish Relief Committee of the City of New York. The $170 would be worth around $5,000 in today’s economy.
During the Great Potato Famine, more than a million people died in Ireland when their potato crops were decimated. Another two million left the country when the potato crops failed in successive years. Potatoes served as a primary food source for almost half the population but primarily the rural poor. The gift from the Choctaw Nation directly impacted the survival of many in Ireland.
The Choctaw Nation’s gift was recognized as extraordinary even at that time. The chairman of the New York committee specifically mentioned it in reports to the Central Relief Committee in Ireland.
The gift to the Irish people was significant, considering the Choctaw people had recently been forced to walk the Trail of Tears between 1831 and 1833.
...
The Irish people were so touched by the donation they received in 1847 that the people of County Cork commissioned a sculpture to the Choctaw Nation in 2015. A delegation of Choctaw people including current Chief Gary Batton and Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. attended the dedication of the monument in 2017.
The sculpture, created by artist Alex Pentek, is named “Kindred Spirits” and features nine eagle feathers. “This monument represents this time of great instability,” Pentek explained in an interview with The Oklahoman. “But it also represents this great moment of compassion, strength and unity.”
Pentek told the BBC that the 6-meter-tall feathers are all unique “as a sign of respect” and that they represent the feathers used in Choctaw ceremonies. These feathers are arranged in a circle, creating the shape of an empty bowl that symbolizes the hunger suffered by Irish people in the famine.
https://www.choctawnation.com/bond-remains-strong-between-choctaw-and-irish
Kindred Spirits monument by Alex Pentek
The Choctaw Nation and the people of Ireland have a long and storied history. Although separated by thousands of miles, these two nations are forever entwined because of a small act of kindness nearly two centuries ago.
In March of 1847, a group of Choctaw people met to raise money for the starving poor in Ireland. The Choctaw people had received word about the dire situation of the Great Potato Famine and simply could not stand by and not help. The Choctaws pooled together $170 which was sent first to the Memphis Irish Relief Committee, then to the General Irish Relief Committee of the City of New York. The $170 would be worth around $5,000 in today’s economy.
During the Great Potato Famine, more than a million people died in Ireland when their potato crops were decimated. Another two million left the country when the potato crops failed in successive years. Potatoes served as a primary food source for almost half the population but primarily the rural poor. The gift from the Choctaw Nation directly impacted the survival of many in Ireland.
The Choctaw Nation’s gift was recognized as extraordinary even at that time. The chairman of the New York committee specifically mentioned it in reports to the Central Relief Committee in Ireland.
The gift to the Irish people was significant, considering the Choctaw people had recently been forced to walk the Trail of Tears between 1831 and 1833.
...
The Irish people were so touched by the donation they received in 1847 that the people of County Cork commissioned a sculpture to the Choctaw Nation in 2015. A delegation of Choctaw people including current Chief Gary Batton and Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. attended the dedication of the monument in 2017.
The sculpture, created by artist Alex Pentek, is named “Kindred Spirits” and features nine eagle feathers. “This monument represents this time of great instability,” Pentek explained in an interview with The Oklahoman. “But it also represents this great moment of compassion, strength and unity.”
Pentek told the BBC that the 6-meter-tall feathers are all unique “as a sign of respect” and that they represent the feathers used in Choctaw ceremonies. These feathers are arranged in a circle, creating the shape of an empty bowl that symbolizes the hunger suffered by Irish people in the famine.
https://www.choctawnation.com/bond-remains-strong-between-choctaw-and-irish
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
